AI-Driven Solutions for Fairness, Accountability, and Worker Protection in the Digital and Gig Economy

Abstract

The rapid growth of the digital and gig economy has fundamentally transformed labor relations, often obscuring economic dependence through terms like “partnership” or “freelance,” while leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation, income volatility, limited legal protections, and adverse impacts on physical and mental health. Ethical frameworks, including Islamic contract principles, stress the importance of aligning formal agreements with actual practice to ensure fairness, transparency, social accountability, and overall worker well-being; however, enforcing such principles in modern, algorithm-driven labor markets remains challenging due to the decentralized, dynamic, and technology-mediated nature of work. This study investigates how contemporary information technology (IT) solutions can address persistent issues in the digital and gig economy, including economic dependence, labor misclassification, income instability, occupational health risks, and mental strain, while promoting ethical compliance, social responsibility, and sustainable workforce management. A systematic literature review was conducted, analyzing empirical studies, peer-reviewed research published between 2018 and 2025, and relevant case studies, such as Tesla’s autonomous systems deployment in Sweden, to identify recurring patterns of labor risk and potential IT-driven interventions. The findings indicate that integrated IT frameworks combining autonomous systems, ethical contract verification, collective social mechanisms, and health and safety monitoring—can enhance fairness, accountability, regulatory effectiveness, and overall worker well-being in digital labor markets. By leveraging technology to monitor compliance, support protections, and improve transparency, such frameworks provide practical, evidence-based strategies for mitigating vulnerabilities inherent in the gig economy. This study emphasizes the potential for harmonizing technological innovation with ethical labor and health practices, offering actionable insights for policymakers, technology developers, and labor organizations aiming to create a more equitable, healthy, and sustainable digital workforce.